The Legend Of Zelda game (which doesn’t even have an official name announced yet, as the big N says it has spoilers) revealed a few gameplay elements via patents.

GameReactor discovered the patents about diving/freefalling, a rewind power, and vertical movement. Let’s start with the first one’s description: “In a special operation mode which receives an operation input for causing a player character that is falling, performing a particular action including a shooting action of shooting a predetermined object, an example of an information processing apparatus changes the posture of the player character that is falling, according to a component, regarding at least a pitch direction, of the direction of a virtual camera based on a camera operation input.

In the particular operation mode, the information processing apparatus sets a shooting direction of the predetermined object during the shooting action, according to the direction of the virtual camera based on the camera operation input. Moreover, the information processing apparatus controls the player character to perform the shooting action and control the predetermined object to move to the shooting direction, based on a shooting operation input performed by the player.” In other words, you can shoot while falling, but it won’t always be possible, especially if you fall, say, five metres at most…

The rewind power sounds exciting: “Movement-related parameters used in the virtual physical calculation are changed such that a designated object selected based on an operation input is caused to perform return movement to return to previously recorded positions and orientations, sequentially backward from the time of giving a start instruction based on the operation input. A state in a virtual space including a player character, the designated object, and other objects is updated based on the virtual physical calculation.” It sounds similar to Breath of the Wild’s Magnesis, Stasis, and Cryonis abilities, as you can move items back to the original location.

The vertical movement definition follows: “An example of an information processing apparatus performs, in a virtual space including at least a player character and a terrain object, control of moving the player character on the terrain object, based on an operation input performed by a player. Suppose it is at least satisfied that the terrain object serving as a ceiling is present above the player character and that a destination, on the terrain object, at which the player character is placeable is present above the ceiling located above the player character. In that case, the information processing apparatus moves the player character to the destination, based on an operation input performed by the player.” It explains how Link could warp from the ground to a sky temple while also going through a stone in the E3 trailer.

The definitions have a lot of promise, and seeing them; it makes sense how Nintendo is secretive about the project. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the first Nintendo Switch killer app (it was a launch title), and as Link has put the bar relatively high there, the Japanese team will have to do its best to go even higher…

Source: WCCFTech